WALHALLA — County officials rejected Wednesday allegations that an assessment error led to taxpayers having been overcharged millions of dollars and said a state Department of Revenue (DOR) review of the matter would not cause a new millage rate to be set or tax bills sent out in the fall.

Oconee County councilmen contacted Wednesday said they received no indication prior to last week of County Treasurer Greg Nowell’s contention that a Duke Energy lump-sum payment of $24 million in 2006 increased values on the tax rolls without giving taxpayers relief.

Nowell believes the higher value from Duke’s payment has been kept on the tax rolls and, as a consequence, county residents possibly could have overpaid $72 million in taxes.

Council Chairman George Blanchard said an error of the magnitude being alleged by the treasurer could not happen because “the auditor’s numbers were reviewed.”

County Auditor Linda Nix, a veteran of more than 25 years who will retire after this year, is responsible for setting the county’s millage rate.

Blanchard added that county residents should rest assured that a complete and impartial review of the matter would be undertaken.

Frank Ables, who chairs the council’s Budget, Finance & Administration Committee said the truth would come out once the state completes its inquiry.

“I believe the Department of Revenue will find that it’s above board,” Ables said of the county’s assessment process.

“Allegations are allegations,” Ables added. “We’ve done nothing wrong. I don’t think the auditor’s done anything wrong.”

Councilman Tommy Crumpton, who along with Ables lost their Republican primary bids in June and will not return to the council next year, said he can’t see such a big mistake slipping through with so many people looking at the numbers.

“If there’s a mistake it’ll be corrected, but I don’t see how a mistake this big could be made,” Crumpton said. “I want to stand by the employees who work so hard and diligently for the county.”

Crumpton took a dig at the treasurer, saying he would have had all his figures straight before taking something like this to the newspaper.

In the meantime, Nix said she has not received the new state industrial tax assessment on Duke Energy.

“We hope to get that information before we calculate the tax millage,” Nix said, adding that she base her millage rate on an estimate of Duke’s assessment information if it is not provided before she presents a millage proposal to the council in September.

Nix said Dukes countywide tax assessment in 2007, including the municipalities, was $134.2 million. She said the county’s portion of the assessment was $95.3 million.